Clark t



(No Model.)

0.T.BUSH.

WIRE BASTBNBR. No.'3 71,122. Patented 0o-t. 4, 188?.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARK T. BUSH, OF MARYLAND, NEWv YORK.

WIRE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371.122,:1ated October 4, 1887.

(No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CLARK T. BUsH, a citi.- zen of the' United States, residing at Maryland, in the county of Otsego and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the means used for securing the longitudinal wires of wire fences to metallic posts. Many devices have been heretofore employed for this purpose, among which the most common consists of a piece of wire encircling the post and the fence-wire, thus drawing the latter firmly against the post and holding it in position. This device, although effectual, takes much time to apply in a proper manner. Various kinds of clamps have therefore been designed for accomplishing the desired result, among which may be named a collar encircling the post and provided with an upwardly-projecting lip, which is caused to hug the fence-wire against the post by means of a key driven between the collar and the post on the rear side of said post opposite the lip. This key also holds the collar in any desired position vertically, allowing the spaces between the wires to be adjusted as may be needed, the whole forming an effectual but costly device for retaining the fencewires in position.

The object ot' my invention is therefore to produce a cheaper device which shall be effectual, not only easily and quickly attached to the post, but shall at the same time prevent longitudinal movement of the wire upon said post, and save much of the time now lost in properly securing the fence-wires to the post, thus facilitating the erection of the fence.

To accomplish these results my invention consists, essentially, in a vertically-adjustable clamp which partly surrounds the post, and is provided with two upright projections between which and the post the fence-wire is secured, the upright projections on the clamp being in such position as to form abend in the fence-wire when it is inserted between them and the post.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a length of fence the wires of which are secured to the posts by my improved clamp. Fig. 2 is a side View of a fence-post with the clamps and wires in place. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clamp. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the post in section with the clamp and fence-wire in position. Fig. 5 shows a modification of the clamp, in which it is formed as a collar completely surrounding the post; and Fig. 6 shows the mode of inserting the wire between the clamps and post.

In these several figures A represents the fencelposts, B the wires, and C the clamps. These posts A are of metal, and may be round in crosssection, as shown in the drawings, or with a rectangular or other cross section, as is found most convenient for the fence to be erected. The clamps C are also of metal, and are preferably formed as a band which encircles threefourths (or thereabout) of the post,

and is provided with two upwardly-projecting arms, a a, which, when the clamp is in place upon the post, stand out a sufficient distance from said post to allow the longitudinal wires of the fence to be forced down behind them, while that part of the post between said arms projecting slightly in advanceof them forms a bend in the wire which clasps that portion of the post, and effectually-prevents said wire from moving longitudinally thereon, thus preventing any slack which may exist in either of the wires composing the fence from being gathered into the space between the posts, and by its sagging enlarging the space between two of the wires.

After the fencefwires have been placed in position the ends of the projections a a may be bent over toward the post, so as to prevent the wires from being lifted out of their engagement with the clamps. To secure the clamps in position upon the posts, I prefer to burr up the post with a chisel both above and below the clamps, as at Fig. 2, which has been found to form an effectual means of retaining the same in position, while the burrs may be readily cut off when it is desired to change the position of and' remove the clamp.

IOS

In the modification I have shown the clamp as forming a complete ring entirely encircling the post, which may be used with posts formed of bar-iron or tubing; in which the several posts of the fence all have the same sectional area; but when cast-iron posts are used they are liable to vary slightly in size, even when cast from the same pattern7 in which case the elasticity ofthe open clamp enables it to accommodate itself to these changes.

A great advantage possessed by these clam ps is that no special fixtures upon the post at the point where the wire is attached are necessary. The posfs may be therefore prepared and shipped to the place where they are to be used without reference to the number of wires of which the fenee is to be composed.

I am aware that an adjustable clamp has been used to hold the longitudinal wires of a fence in place, as shown in the patent to Payne,

No. 203,938, dared May 21, 1ers, :ma d@ not I therefore broadly claim an ad'j usi able clamp for that purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent7 the following:

In combination with the fence-post, the vertically-adjustable clamp encircling the post, and provided with two upwardly-projecting arms adapted to bend the longitudinal wires as they are forced down between said arms and the post, and to be then bent inward to prevent longitudinal movement of said wires or their withdrawal from the clamp, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARK T. BUSH.

XVitnesses:

ABRAM DIEFENDORF, GEO. B. CRrPrEN. 

